Guard rail assembly for door openings in vehicular bodies



y 7 F. 0. PRICE 2,798,762

GUARD RAIL ASSEMBLY FOR DOOR OPENINGS IN VEHICULAR BODIES Filed Oct.- 19, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

'FIzANK Q. Pmca ATTORNEYS F. C. PRICE July 9, 1957 GUARD RAIL ASSEMBLY FOR DOOR OPENINGS IN VEHICULAR BODIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed on. 19 1956 V INVENTOR. TQANK C. P2 pcE United Statespawfit .GUARD RAIL ASSEMBLY FOR noon OPENINGS a 1N VEHICULAR BODIES Frank C. Price, Steubenville, Ohio 7 Application October 19, 1956, Serial No. 617,166

i 3 Claims. 01. 296-63) rail assembly as initial equipment or modifying attachment between a side wall of a vehicle body and a seat assembly transversely disposed relative to saidside wall, th'e'guard assembly being located adjacent the rear edge of a door opening and including means wherein the guard rail member may be manually disposed in protecting relationship relative to the door opening for preventing accidental movement of an individual therethrough, and further being inertia-responsive to sudden stops etc. wherein said guard rail member will be disposed in protecting relationship relative to the door opening for preventing accidental movement of an individual through said door opening.

A still further object of invention in conformance with that set forth ls to provide 'a novel guard rail assembly of the character involved which is readily and economically manufactured, easily installed, and highly satisfactory, practical and acceptable for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will subsequently become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rear portion of the interior of a passenger vehicle showing a portion of the side wall thereof and its relationship to a transversely extending seat assembly, and further showing the novel guard rail assembly in its installed position, further showing by means of phantom lines the manner in which the guard rail member may be disposed in protecting relationship relative to the door opening of the vehicle body;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section view taken substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the alternate positions of guard rail member of the novel guard rail assembly;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section view taken substantially on the plane of line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section view taken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a portion of the side wall of a vehicle body in conjunction with the novel guard rail assembly.

Referring to the drawing in detail, indicated generally at is a fragmentary portion of a vehicle body including a sidewall 12, a door opening 14 access through which being controlled by means of a suitably supported door 16, and extending transversely from the side wall 12 is a seat assembly indicated generally at 18 including a transverse substantially horizontally disposed seat member 20 in conjunction with a vertically extending transversely disposed back rest member 22. The forementioned structure is conventional, and although the exemplary embodiment of invention is described in detail relative to a passenger type automotive vehicle the novel invention may be readily utilized with other type vehicles inco porating a door opening forwardly disposed relative to a seat assembly of the character shown.

- Opening into the inner surface 24 of the side wall 12 in transverse relationship relative to the side edge 26 of the back rest member 22 is an elongated substantially rectangular slot 28 which terminates at 30 in spaced relationship from the adjacent edge of the door opening 14. The back rest 22 incorporates a transverse notch through the edge 26 as indicated at 32, see Figure 4, which may also be rectangularly conformed and in direct opposition to the s1ot28.

\ Indicated generally at 34 is the novel guard rail assembly comprising an elongated guard rail member 36 incorporating in laterally extending relationship from one side edge 38 thereof laterally extending rectangular guide portion 40 including depending lower abutment portion 42; The guide portion 40 conforms to the cross sectional configuration of the slot 28, see Figure 4, is reciprocably retained therein by means of an elongated fiat strap member 44 which is secured at opposite ends in any suitable manner beyond opposite ends of the slot 28. The strap member 44 overlies the lower side portion of the slot 28 and prevents lateral displacement of the guard rail member from said slot 28 The portion 36 extends into the slot 32, also see Figure 4, and may have a suitable covering material 46 suitably fixed thereon. The guard rail member 36 includes in the lower surface 48 thereof adjacent its forward end 50a downwardly opening hand grip portion or recess 52 permitting the guard rail member to be moved manually forward into overlying relationship relative to the door opening 14 and preventing obstructing movement of an individual through said door opening.

While an individual is occuping the seat assembly 18 the guard rail member may be extended to the phantom line position shown in the drawing and utilized as an arm rest as well as a guard rail member. Furthermore, when the guard rail member is disposed in a retracted position shown by the solid lines in the various figures of the drawing, the guard rail member 36 will be inertiaresponsive thus the weight of the guard rail member which will be of a substantial character will cause said guard rail member to automatically move forward due to the force of inertia when the vehicle is suddenly stopped, for example, when colliding with another vehicle.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle body including a side wall having a transverse door opening, a seat assembly extending laterally from the inner surface of said side wall rearwardly of one edge of the opening, a guard assembly supported on the side wall between the seat assembly and side wall, said guard assembly including a guard rail member and means for permitting the same to extend forwardly from the seat assembly into a movement-obstructing position'overlyi'ng'the 'openin'g'in the side wall, said means comprising an elongated-slot opening-inwardlyfrom the side wall toward the seat assembly rearwardly of the door opening and terminating short thereof, said guard rail member including a'laterally extending guide portion reciprocably received inthe slot, and-means forretaining" the guide portion in saidslot andpennittingreciprm catory-movement of the guardrail member toward overlyingrelationshiprelative to the door opening intheside wall.

2. In -avehicle body including aside wallhaving a transverse door opening, a seat assembly extending laterallyfrom thefin'nersurface of'said sidewallrearwardly of one "edgeof the opening, a guard assembly supported on the side wall between the seat'assernbly arid side wall, saidguardassembly including aguardrail'menrber and means foriperni'itting the sameto extend forwardly from theseat assembly intoa movement=obstructingposition-overlying the opening in the'side WaILsaid'mean's comprising an elongated slot "opening inwardly from'the side wall toward theseat assembly rearwardly of the door'opening and terminating short thereofysaid guard rail-'member including a laterally extending guide portion reciprocably'received in the slot, and means for'retaining the guide portion in *said slot andzpermittin'g reciprocatory movement of the guardrail 'rnem'bert'oward overlying "relationship relative to the door opening in the side'WaILsaidseat assembly incorporating a vertically extendingback rest'member extending transversely at one wedge-relative to the slotysaid one edge of the "back rest member incorporating a'transverse notch portion thereth'rough in alignment with the slot inithe side wall,

4 V g 1 said guard rail member including a-cornbined'arm rest and guide portion reciprocably received in the notch portion of the back restmember.

3. In a vehicle body including a side wall having a transverse door opening, a seat assembly extending laterally from the inner surface of said side wall rearwardly of one edge of the opening, a guard assembly supported on the side wall between the seat assembly and side wall, said guard assembly including'a guard rail member and means fo'rpermitting the sameto extend forwardly" from the seat assembly into a movement-obstructing position overlying the opening in the side wall, said means comprising anelongated'slotopening inwardly from the sidewall toward-the, seat assemblyrearwardly of the door opening and terminating short thereof, said guard rail member including "a laterally-extending guide portion reciprocably received in the slot, and means for retaining the guide portion in said slot and permitting reciprocatory movement of the guard rail member toward overlying relationship relative "to'- the door opening inthe side wall, said guardrail member including means permitting the same to'bemanually extended into overlying protective relationship to the opening 'in the side wall-and further including means wherein said guide rail member is inertia responsive to beextended toward protecting relationship-relative tothe opening in the side wall due to sudden stopping of forward "movement of the vehicle body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 12,708,135 Howard ...May 10, 1955 n w! W? 

